James Gunn's Superman did a lot to set up the future of the DCU. However, it wasn't just Maxwell Lord's corporate-sponsored superheroes led by Guy Gardner, but a whole untapped history of superheroes in the background.
When Lois went to seek help from the Justice Gang in a refurbished Hall of Justice (represented by the famed Cincinnati Union Terminal), the real-life Winold Reiss murals inside were replaced by ones seemingly depicting the history of superheroes in the DCU. They show heroes from as far back as the 1940s and as late as the 1990s.
Until the murals are officially released, fans like X user @dinahspolly eyeballed those in the theater or used other means to help decipher which superheroes made it onto the murals. While some blurry figures are still up for debate, 10 identifiable superheroes are honored in the DCU's Hall of Justice.
10 Superheroes From DCU's Past
Atomic Knight (Gardner Grayle)
There's an armored knight wielding a shield adorned with an atom symbol on the mural, making it undeniable that this historical superhero is Gardner Grayle's Atomic Knight. Created in June 1960 by John Broome and Murphy Anderson, debuting in Strange Adventures #117, Grayle was an army sergeant who stole an experimental suit of armor designed for a theoretical post-nuclear war in America.
Made to withstand radiation, Grayle's Atomic Knight armor can also tank hits from superpowered individuals. The suit gives him augmented strength, the ability to deploy force fields, and the ability to project energy blasts. It can even shoot artificial red sun energy, which would be a problem for any remaining Kryptonians in the DCU.
As for any legacy he'd have left behind in the modern era of the DCU, there are his Atomic Knights, a group of men and women wearing similar armor to his that he had led. It's possible that they still exist, only led by someone else or even himself, just much older.
Freedom Beast (Dominic Mndawe)
Kneeling on a rock is Dominic Mndawe's Freedom Beast, created by comic legend Grant Morrison, who first appeared in July's Animal Man #13 in 1989. Freedom Beast made his live-action debut in Season 4 of Titans, portrayed by Nyambi Nyambi.
A champion of The Red, a force connecting all animal life and microorganisms in the universe, Freedom Beast's powers come from his mask. It allows him to communicate with animals and is an elixir that grants him superhuman strength and speed.
As for Mndawe's legacy in today's DCU, he never had a successor in the comics. He's himself a legacy character, as his predecessor, B'wana Beast, gave him the mantel and mask that grant him his powers. Regardless, adding Dominic Mndawe to the list of Black superheroes who should make it into the DCU wouldn't hurt.
Wildcat (Ted Grant)
Next to the South African superhero is Wildcat, who debuted in Sensation Comics #1 in January 1942, from Batman co-creator Bill Finger and artist Irwin Hasen. Wildcat has made various appearances in cartoons and live-action shows over the years, with his latest portrayed by Brian Stapf in Stargirl (who had also met John Wesley Shipp's Jay Garrick).
Ted Grant has no superpowers, but he's a world-class boxer and mixed martial artist who has personally trained Batman, Black Canary, and even Superman. He is also a member of the Justice Society of America.
Grant has two successors who could appear as the new Wildcat: Tom Bronson, his metahuman son who can change into a were-panther, and his goddaughter, Yolanda Montez, the second ever Latina superhero. The latter was also adapted into live-action in Stargirl, portrayed by Yvette Monreal.
Vibe (Paco Ramone)
The man with the absurd V-neck breakdancing on the mural is likely the Detroit-based superhero Vibe, who Carlos Valdes portrayed for several years across The CW's Arrowverse. Created by Gerry Conway and Chuck Patton, Vibe debuted in Justice League of America Annual #2 in October 1984, with metapowers that allow him to emit powerful vibration shockwaves.
Vibe abandoned being a street gang leader for a chance to join the Justice League of America. Thanks to Martian Manhunter, he successfully became a member, but his journey would sadly end with him becoming one of the few casualties on the team.
As for any legacy he may have left behind in James Gunn's DCU, before the 2011 reboot in the comics, he was initially called Paco Ramone instead of Cisco Ramone like today. So perhaps his successor, if he's dead or retired, could be a relative using his modern renaming.
Gunfire (Andrew Van Horn)
The gun-toting redhead beside the breakdancer is a dead ringer for the '90s superhero Gunfire. First appearing in Deathstroke the Terminator Annual #2 in October 1993 and created by Len Wein and Steve Erwin, Gunfire has powers similar to those of Marvel's Gambit.
His metagene was inadvertently activated when Venev, a Bloodlines Parasite, went on a killing spree with six others of her kind and attempted to kill him. It wouldn't be the first alien incursion on Earth in the DCU, with Peacemaker already stomping one out.
Gunfire may still be an active superhero in the DCU and merely a more recent hero added to the mural, but his rebooted incarnation, Blake, could succeed him.
Doctor Fate (Kent Nelson)
A man wearing a blue business suit and holding what appears to be a golden helmet in the mural could be Doctor Fate, specifically Kent Nelson. He has appeared in dozens of cartoons and live-action series but made his first live-action film appearance in Black Adam, played by Pierce Brosnan.
Doctor Fate debuted in writer Gardner Fox and artist Howard Sherman's More Fun Comics #55 on May 10, 1940. Empowered by Nabu, a Lord of Order, Doctor Fate is a founding member of the Justice Society of America, using his near-unlimited magical powers to help save the world.
If Nelson is expected to have passed down the helmet to anyone, it's likely to be Khalid Nassour, an Egyptian-American physician, and the current Doctor Fate in the comics.
Silent Knight (Brian Kent)
Another knight in the mural, sporting a red helmet and shield, couldn't be anyone else but the Silent Knight, Brian Kent, who lived in 6th-century England. Created by Robert Kanigher and Irv Novick, he first appeared in The Brave and the Bold #1 as a young prince secretly donning the armor to protect his kingdom.
Silent Knight has an interesting lineage, with him being heavily implied to be a past incarnation of Carter Hall's Hawkman and an ancestor of Jonathan Kent. However, unless he's been time-displaced, become a haunting spectre, or someone else has taken up the armor, it's unlikely audiences will ever see Silent Knight in the DCU.
Black Pirate (Jon Valor)
Sitting on a barrel is a man wearing yellow pants and a purple cape, an ideal match for Jon Valor's Black Pirate. Created by Sheldon Moldoff, the vigilante pirate first appeared in Action Comics #23 in April 1940.
In the 16th century, he was a privateer working for the King of England until he was framed for the murder of his son and hanged for it. His spirit would curse the land where he was executed, which would eventually become Opal City, until his innocence was proven.
Unless his backstory was changed for the DCU, Valor should be long dead, and his inclusion in the mural is merely meant to represent superheroes of the distant past. If not, his ghost could still be around if he wasn't given his long-deserved justice.
Max Mercury/The Flash (Jay Garrick)
Kneeling, wearing his classic cap and seemingly ready to sprint, is Jay Garrick's Flash, who is technically the first speedster to appear in Gunn's DCU. Debuting in Flash Comics #1 on January 10, 1940, he was created by Gardner Fox and Harry Lampert as another founding member of the Justice Society of America.
However, X user @Sussussamongus argues that this kneeling figure is actually Max Mercury, another speedster. The primary reason is that his Whip Whirlwind costume has a closer-matched color scheme, especially since Garrick never wore white boots like the figure in the mural does.
James Gunn himself commented (via an interview with Josh Horowitz) on the mural, noting that Jay Garrick does not appear on it. Thus, it seems almost certain that it is indeed Max Mercury.
Super-Chief
Lastly, a tall, shirtless figure standing next to the speedster with their head completely covered is the 15th-century Native American superhero Super-Chief, who debuted in Gardner Fox and Carmine Infantino's All-Star Western #117 in March 1961.
There have been at least four Super-Chiefs, but this is likely the first, Flying Stag. After being trapped in a pit, the Great Spirit Manitou sent him a meteorite he would wear as an amulet, granting him superhuman strength, durability, flight, and a prolonged life.
But despite his limited immortality, like Silent Knight and Black Pirate, Super-Chief is no doubt dead, unless he happened to be flung into the DCU's future. More likely, he's been succeeded by his great-grandson, Jon Standing Bear, a young veteran and ex-con.
